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Shelf Porn | A ‘trophy room’ filled with statues and original art

Welcome to Shelf Porn! It’s been awhile since we’ve posted this feature and we’re back with quite the collection today, as David Dougherty, a lawyer from Florida, shares his nicely displayed collection of statues and original art.

If you’d like to see your collection featured here, contact me at jkparkin@yahoo.com. And now let’s hear from David …

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My name is David Dougherty from Florida. I am honored to be featured on Shelf Porn. I designed this room with this day in mind. I used to collect comics during the 1980s, but I went into hibernation when we entered the era of various variant metallic-inked hologram covers for the first issue of each title. My uncle got me into comics when he gave me his run of Amazing Spider-Man (issues #6 – #68) to read as a kid. What a way to start an obsession! I started up again in 2005 when I had a foothold in a successful career with disposable income. Only this time I had a different perspective. I didn’t want to collect comics that would stay in boxes hidden from me in the darkness. I wanted to collect comic-related items that represented the comics that I was still purchasing but donating instead of keeping. I wanted something I could look at every day and enjoy.

I converted my third bedroom into this “trophy room.” There are sixty-four 16 sq. in. glass cubes filled with statues primarily from DC and Marvel. The three interior walls are covered top to bottom in original art that I have compiled. My long boxes, extra art, and remaining statues are in storage hoping to one day find their way into the arms of a caring owner.

This is my third setup for my collection as it has grown over the years, and I have learned that presentation goes a long way. I’ve had many of these same pieces displayed in wood or black shelving and it did not create the same impact on visitors.

Firestorm is my favorite DC character. I am thankful for friends with special talents that have allowed me honor Ronnie Raymond. If you look at his introduction to the Justice League in the 1980s, he is a much more powerful character than he is typically given credit for and criminally under-utilized.

From the historic comic that introduced the world to the Justice League of America… a statue based on the cover of The Brave & The Bold #28 by Mike Sekowsky and Murphy Anderson (March, 1960). It took me forever to find this piece intact. Most of the originals were broken or cracked to some degree during shipping. I purchased three before this one and each one arrived in pieces. ☹

This is my favorite piece…the one that I grab first if my house is on fire. It is #8 in the production line. “Kraven’s Last Hunt” (also known as “Fearful Symmetry”) was my favorite Spider-Man storyline as a kid and I think it still holds up today.

Long live the Independents! I think Invincible is the best superhero comic since the early run of Amazing Spider-Man. I am also a big Cassie Hack fan and I love this custom conversion. Hack/Slash is the only comic book that I still collect, but I give away the trades to readers that I am trying to recruit onto the title.

Batman Confidential issues #17 – #21 with the unparalleled art of Kevin Maguire. No one can match his facial expressions. I think I read this run in trade paperback once a month. I bet Maguire could pull off a one-shot without dialogue and still tell a gripping story.

This is the wall piece that gets the most attention obviously. Again, the framing enhances the art. It’s great that Grimm Fairy Tales has introduced a goth-twist to the classic Charles Lutwidge Dodgson story.

Did I mention I was a huge Hack/Slash fan? Dan Brereton was just a pleasure to hang out with at a convention I attended where his work was commissioned. On the right, is a page from the original artist for the first volume of the ongoing title, Emily Stone. She will be missed.

Everyone has a grail piece and this one is mine. Alan Davis did the art on my favorite comic book run for Excalibur in the late ’80s. This is my favorite cover from that run because I am a big admirer of Kitty Pryde.

In 1988, I mowed lawns as a young lad to save up to buy this 4 ft. x 4 ft. poster of all the characters from the Marvel Universe at the long-forgotten Comic Cafe. I had it laminated to preserve it. They don’t make posters like they used to…

Here is my Daredevil corner. He’s a lawyer, I’m a lawyer. He’s blind, I wear glasses to read. He’s a superhero, I do community service. The similarities are endless. Right underneath these two Hard Hero statues are the red and white Elektra statues from Sideshow and the Marvel Milestones Daredevil statue crouching on top of a gothic building.

This was once part of my brother’s childhood furniture and now it sits in the rear of this room as a complimentary piece to display more statues, my hardcovers, and my trade paperbacks. Did you notice Harvey Birdman? How could I not pull the trigger on that one.

David Dougherty

Thank you all for the kind words. To answer a couple questions: I purchased from S & L Store Fixtures out of Miami for the glass cubes. That is a PVC Spike from Cowboy Bebop. I am disappointed they did not do Faye Valentine.

el_caifan

Scott

Great job on the room. I love your displays. I completely agree about not having your comics in the room. I also have original art and some statues, and I have a hard time displaying them because of the amount of drawer boxes I have (which probably isn’t a lot compared to some people). You have inspired me to try and find another place for them so it can be a true trophy room.

LikeaPhoenix

Of all the Shelf Porn collections, this has got to be the neatest and most organized collection I’ve seen thus far! The glass cubes, especially, are a nice touch. My only gripe is that the collection is too DC! And how can you not have at least one Phoenix statue?? I mean you have the original Ms. Marvel statue, but no Phoenix?? LOL

This imo is how you should display your stuff. Great all the way around, and as someone who wishes he had more disposable income I hope to have that many figures one day (although mine will be Hellboy-type stuff for the most part). Emily Stone did great work on Hack/slash, her art actually got me into the series, what’s she doing now?

Chris Campbell

David, this is an amazing collection! As a huge fan of Hack/Slash as well, and a collector of original art, its great to see other pieces from the series “in the wild”. I’m a lawyer myself up in DC with eerily similar collecting habits…. hmmm. Seriously though, this is a wonderful collection. I’m going over to you Comicartfans page right now to check out your other artwork. By the way, I recommend checking out Cadence Comic, where Tim still has a few wonderful covers left for sale. That’s where I picked up the cover to #30.